Undefeatable becomes beatable

Lewis Chaitov
Staff writer
Sloppy is the only way to describe the women’s volleyball match that started the 2011 year. The 3-0 Western Mustangs won as the undefeated – correction: formerly undefeated – York women’s team lost the title they had worked so hard for in the beginning of the season.

With a team like the Western Mustangs, who won last year’s Ontario University Athletic bronze, there is no room for error. The Mustangs came in prepared for a team like York and knew exactly where to place the ball at every hit. For a veteran player like Elaine Screaton, it was an easy task taking advantage of weak blocks and bad executions from the Lions. The day ended with Screaton scoring eight kills, followed by third-year player Rebecca Oxland with six kills.
The York women’s downfall did not only come from the Mustangs’ attentiveness to York’s top players, but the lack of team cohesion. Players like Brandie Wilkerson, the OUA second-place point leader in the league, and Kristina Vlcek, who is ranked number 11, worked hard at getting their team back in the game. At the end of the day, however, little support from the 10 other players in the line-up could not get them the win they wanted and needed.
In the case of the Western Mustangs, the team did everything to make sure it was a team effort. “We don’t rely on any one player. We have a group of players who just want to play the game,” said Dave Edwards, head coach of the Western Mustangs. Furthermore, the York Lions were down one of their best hitters, team captain Sarah Sutton. Though playing without the fifth-year veteran may have proved a challenger, Nick Tran, head coach of the York Lions, believed it shouldn’t have prevented them from winning. “They were missing the leadership and skill of their captain, but that’s still no excuse for today’s loss,” said Tran.
Upcoming Games
Women’s Volleyball
Toronto Varsity Blues vs York Lions
Sunday, January 16 2011
Tait McKenzie Centre
1 pm
Men’s Volleyball
Toronto Varsity Blues vs York Lions
Sunday, January 16 2011
Tait McKenzie Centre 3pm